The petition currently has more than 245,000 signatures, while signatures on opposing petitions total to just over 10,000. The threshold for a White House response to a We The People petition is 100,000 signatures.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters at his press briefing Friday that the administration will follow We The People procedure and respond to the petition "relatively soon."

"As is our commitment, there will be a response when the threshold is crossed," Carney said. "I don’t have one now. On matters related to visas, I refer you to DHS."